Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-11-05
POPULAR SCIENCE.
Points of Interest Engaging the Attention
of Savants.

Points of Interest Engaging the Attention
of Savants.
The bacteria of water and ice have been
found in hail by Professor L. Maggi, an
Italian Psychologist. Such organisms are
well-nigh universal.
The transparency of molten iron, noticed
during casting of several tons, has been
recorded by Mr.. W. Ramsay. 1t has
yellow tinge.
The River Turia, at point thirty-fve
miles away, is to be utilized for running the
factories of Valencia, Spain. The 5000
horse power available will be transmitted by
electricity.
The idea of putting monkeys to work
seems to have been accomplished in Brazil,
where, according to a report from Rio
Janeiro, twenty of these animals have been
successfully trained to cut hemp on large
hemp farm.
A petroleum exhibition is soon to be held
in st. Petersburg, in connection with which
the Russian minister of war offers prize of
500 roubles for compact and practical bat
terry for electric lighting with incandescent
lamps.
Professor Lodges discovery of the remark
able effect of static electricity in freeing the
air from dust and vapor has been utilized by
Mr.. J. &. Lorrain in the construction of an
apparatus for dissipating the smoke produced
by the discharge Of cannon.
Disasters to eyesight are evidently more
common than is generally supposed Judging
from the statement that more than 100000
glass eyes are made annually in Germany
and Switzerland. An artificial eye seldom
lasts more than five years, the secretion of
the glands turning it cloudy.
DR.. Murray, of the Royal Society of Edin-
burgh, estimates the mean height of the land
of the globe to be between 1000 and 2100
feet the latter limit being probably the more
nearly correct. Humboldt's estimate of the
mean height of the continents was 1000
feet
An effective method of petrifying animal
bodies was claimed by DR.. G. b. Massedaglia,
distinguished Padua chemist, who died
more than forty years ago. The secret of the
process was left for his legitimate heirs, who
have only very recently been found. The
discovery so long locked up is now eagerly
sought, and large sums have been offered for
lt-thus far unsuccessfully.
The plan of utilizing coke dust by MAX
ing it into briquettes has been successfully
adopted by gas company at Lyons, France.
This is accomplished by mixing each ton of
fine coke with about two hundred pounds of
cOal-tar pitch and then passing it through a
COMPRISING machine. The total cost is 81 a
ton, and the product readily sells for IS so
and So ton. The expense for this plant,
with capacity of sixty-tive tons daily, was
only 5000.
Professor c. w. Vogel communicated to
the members of the Berlin Physical Society,
at one of their recent meetings, a very inge-
nious discovery, by which it is now possible
to obtain instantaneous photographs, not
only at night but also in the darkest places.
Messrs. Goedicke and Miethe have prepared
amixture of pulverized magnesium, chlorate
of potash, and sulphide of antimony, which,
when ignited, produces an explosive, light
ning-like illumination of such intensity that
by means of it an instantaneous photograph
can be taken. The speaker gave demon
stration of the discovery by taking photo
graphs OF several persons present. He used
one-fortieth of second, and in few min
ntes produced picture during the meeting.
The powders, as prepared by the discoveries,
cost only few pfennigs each, and will hence
rapidly come into general use.